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Patented Dec. I3

No. 6l5-',979.

E. P. GARDNER.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Jan. 17, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES A TTORNEY we. norms ravens co, vacuum, wnsumomu I). c.

No. 6l5,979. Patented Dec. 13, I898.

E. P. GARDNER. I

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Applicatiun filed Jan. 17, 1898.)

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheetsr-Sheat 2.

I TTORNEV we Nonms PETERS c0 Pumau'ruq, wnsumamw 0. cv

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

EDlVIN P. GARDNER, OF NORW'ICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO TIMOTHY KELLY, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYLE NE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 615,979, dated DecemberlS, 1898.

Application filed January 1'7, 1898. Serial No. 666,976. (No model.) 1

To all 1071,0771, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN P. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Apparatus, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is in acetylene-gas appara- IO tus, and has for its particular object the improvement of such apparatus to the end that the carbid of calcium may be fed automatically and delivered into the gas-generating chamber in predetermined quantities and at I5 such times only as may be needed to insure the continuous and economical generation of gas. It also provides for automatically stopping the feeding of the carbid whenever the use of the gas is discontinued.

2o Heretofore it has been most common in this class of apparatus to provide a continuouslyfed supply of carbid, in which case the gas is generated continuously. In some instances, however, the feeding of the carbid has been in a measure controlled through the movement of a storage-chamber or gasometer, but under such conditions the storing of this gas is considered more or less dangerous.

In the apparatus of my present improved 0 form I provide very simple but accurate mechanism for delivering the carbid to the generating-chamber in given quantities and for stopping such delivery sosoon as the use of the gas is discontinued, thus forestalling and preventing any considerable accumulation of gas and rendering a storage-tank or gasometer unnecessary. By thus controlling the generation of the gas I am able to provide an apparatus that is not only economical,

' 0 but is also absolutely safe, even in the hands of-a novice.

My newly-improved apparatus, briefly described, comprises a supply-chamber for the carbid of calcium, a water-chamber, means for measuring and delivering into the said water-chamber a given quantity of carbid, and means coacting with the said measuring and delivering device and water-chamber for automatically controlling the delivery of said carbid.

In order to explain my invention clearly, I have provided the annexed sheets of drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation,of acetylene-gas apparatus em body- 5 5 ing the several features of my invention. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one side of such apparatus, showing a modification of myinvention. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my measuring and delivering apparatus. Fig. 5 is a similar view with a part of the front wall broken away to expose certain of the interior parts,and Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view of said measuring and delivering apparatus. Figs. 7 and 8 show details of said apparatus, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the letters a and a indicate two concentric water-chambers connected by passages a at the lower end of the inner chamber. The capacity of the two chambers is' preferably about equal, and it will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 of the draw ings that the inner chamber is open at its top, while the outer or larger chamber is closed.

Mounted upon the closed top of chamber a are upright cylinders 1), whose lower ends communicate with the water-chamber a, through pipes c, and within each of the. said cylinders b is a float or plunger b, provided for a pur- 8o pose which I shall explain in detail later.

Located at opposite sides of W the waterchamber a, adjacent to the cylinders b, are my devices for supporting, measuring, and feeding the carbid, said devices including a water vessel d and a superimposed storagechamber 6, which latter is connected with the said water vessel by an inclosed passage f, here shown as-rectangular in cross-section. WVithin the passage 7 f are arranged two ta- 9o pered chutes g g, here shown as rectangular in cross-section, located one above the other, I whose smaller ends hang down in the said passage in such relative positionsthat the upper chute will discharge its contents into 5 the lower chute, so that the latter may dis charge into the water vessel (1. These chutes, together with certain cut-off devices, coact= ing with the lower ends thereof and with the surrounding inclosed clear space, form my measuring and delivering mechanism. Said cut-offs consist of curved gates g, that are secured to trunnions h h, the former of which is journaled in the wall of the passage f, while the latter is journaled in a circular plate 6 and is extended and squared to receive a hub k, in which is mounted a radial arm having a weight k at its free end, which weight is of sufficient size to overbalance the curved cutofi gate g. A stufiing-box 712, of ordinary form, is screwed upon the projecting central portion of the plate 2', as is best seen in Fig. 7. The plates 2' are secured to the wall of the passage f by bolts or screws t".

Referring now to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the hub 7a is provided with two radial arms 71: 70', arranged, as here shown, in different vertical planes and that a bar on is located between said arms. This bar m is mounted to slide vertically in ways m, formed on the casing of the passage f at one side of the hubs 7s. The sliding bar m is provided with pins m that project from the opposite sides of said bar, as seen in Fig. 8, one end of each pin being adapted to engage the radial arm 70' as the bar on moves downward and the other end of said pin being adapted to engage the arm k as said bar on moves upward, thus providing means for rocking the hubs 7a and the connected cut-off gates g both to open and close said gates. In order to lock the gates 9 both in their open and closed positions, I have provided on the hub 7.". an angular web that has two straight edges 7& 72., that may engage the edge of the bar m, as seen in Fig. 8, and thus prevent the accidental rocking of the hub 7t and connected gate '9. The said bar "in is cut away, as atm at the point where the angle between the straight sides 10 It would otherwise impinge against said bar when the gates are being opened or closedthat is to say, when the bar m is being moved to rock the hub 7s.

The gates g, it will be noticed, are formed as arcs of the same circle in which they travel, and they are loosely fitted with relation to the lower or delivery ends of the chutes, so that the granulated carbid cannot clog or in any degree obstruct the passage of the gates when the latter are swung forward to cut off the supply of carbid. The upper gate g, which must of necessity cut through and separate the mass of carbid at each forward movement of the said gate, is so located with relation to the delivery end of the upper chute that space approximately equal to the gran- .ules of carbid is afforded between the chute and gate when the latter is swinging forward to its closed position. (See particularly Fig. 7, which is an enlarged view of the upper chute and its gate.) The granules of carbid are thus prevented from wed gin g between the end of the chute and the advancing gate, for the reason that they may be freely pushed before the moving gate if not otherwise displaced. It should be understood that the power obtainable (in apparatus of this parof carbid.

ticular class) forautomatically operating the cut-off gates is very limited, and it is therefore imperative that provision be made for the practically-unobstructed movement of said gates, and this I accomplish in part by the proper regulation of the space between the upper chute and its coactin g gate,as I have just described; and in order that the granules of carbid may not pass by gravity or be forced by the weight of the mass above through the space thus provided I make the gate of a width somewhat greater than the width of the mouth of the chute, so that the gate overlapsi. (2., extends beyond-the walls of the mouth of the chute sufficiently to prevent such undue displacement of the carbid. It should also be particularly noted that when the upper gate g is moved away from the delivery end of the chute to release aportion of the contents of said chute said gate swings into the unoccupied space 9 between the chute g and the inclosing shell f; also, that when said gate is swung forward to close the delivery end of the chute, and thus cut oif the discharge of carbid, any of the granulated particles of said carbid that might seek to unduly obstruct and check the advance movement of said gate are readily pushed before the gate into the said unoccupied space g on the opposite side of the chute. I have found in practice that this provision for the clearance and free movement of the cut-off gates g is absolutely necessary, for the reason that the carbid cannot be successfully fed by means of ordinary plug-valves or sliding gates operating entirely within the mass The lower gate g, as well as its relation to and cooperation with the lower chute, is substantially the same as the upper gate already described by me in detail.

We will assume that the gates g are in the positions shown in Fig. 6, (the corresponding positions of the weighted arms 7.: and connected parts being shown in Fig. 4)that is to say, thelower gate 9 is closed and the upper gate opened, thus permitting the carbid to pass downward from the upper chute g and fill the lower chute. The pins m are so located in the sliding bar m that the initial downward movement of said bar brings the upper pin m into engagement with the upper arm 70 and rocks the upper gate 9 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, thus cutting 0% all communication between the two chutes. Continued downward movement of bar m brings the lower pin m into engagement with the lower arm 70 and rocks the lower gate g into the clear space 9 and into the position shown in Fig. 6 in dotted lines, thus opening said lower gate and permitting the carbid in the lower chute to pass, by gravity, downward and in to the water-chamber (1. Whenever the bar on is slid upward, the lower pin m first engages the radial arm k on the lower hub 70 and rocks the lower gate 9' into its closed position, as in Fig. 6, and continued upward movement of said bar on causes the upper pin m to engage the upper arm A to rock the upper gate g into its open position, as in said Fig. 6, when the carbid is allowed to pass from the upper or storage chute down into the lower or measuring chute, whence it may be discharged at the proper time into the water-chamber d. When the carbid is thus delivered into the water in chamber (Z, decomposition immediately begins and the resulting freed gas is ready for use, said gas being delivered from the upper end of said chamber through a pipe 0.

It will now be understood that through the described storage, measuring, and delivering devices a given quantity of carbid is delivered into the gasgenerating chamber d at each downward movement of the bar m; and I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by means of which the delivery of the carbid into chamber d is automatically controlled while the gas, is being used and stopped entirely so soon as the use of the gas is discontinued, forit should be kept in mind my aim is to provide an apparatus that shall operate to generate the gas only so long as the latter is being used, so that no gasometer or storagechamber proper is required.

I have already referred to the cylinders 1), having the floats or plungers b. Each float b is provided in theapparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 with a rod 19 that extends above the top of said cylinder and is pivoted to a lever 19, one of Whose ends is fulcru med at the side of the cylinder, its opposite or free end being connected with the sliding bar m by a rod q in such manner that the rise and fall of the float b will act, through rod 11 lever 19, and said connecting-rod q, to correspondingly raise and lower the bar m to operate the cut-off gates g in the manner already described in detail.

The generating-chamber d and larger water-chamber c are connected by a pipe 8, having a valve 8. When a supply of carbid is delivered into chamber (Z and gas is rapidly generated and accumulated in said chamber, the water therein is displaced and forced through 'pipe ,8 into the large chamber at until said water is below pipe .9, when the gas follows and, entering said chamber a, displaces the water contained therein and forces it through the openings crime the central chamber a, whence it passes through pipe 0 into cylinder 1). As it rises in cylinder 11 it lifts the float b, and thus causes the bar m to be slid upward, resulting in closing the lower gate 9 and opening the upper gate to allow a fresh supply of carbid to be delivered into the lower chute, where it remains until such time as the gas generated by decomposition of the carbid last delivered into chamber at is exhausted or so nearly so as to reduce the pressure sufficiently to allow the water in the tanks to recede, when the float Z) follows the water downward, and through rod 12 lever 19, and rod q it causes the bar m to slide downward, thus closing the upper gate g and opening the lower gate g to allow a fresh supply movement of the cut-off gates g, the weights serving to accelerate such movement so soon as they are moved past the vertical center of trunnions h, as will be well understood by reference to the drawings.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a slight modification of my invention, in which I provide on the top of cylinder at a diaphragm b in place of a float b, the construction of said diaphragm being the same as those commonly used for controlling the draft-doors and dampers of steam-generators.

My described apparatus is extremely-simple in its construction, has no parts easily worn out, and is automatic in its action.

Inasmuch as the generation of gas is stopped at the time, or very soon after, the use of the gas is discontinued, and inasmuch as it is impossible for the gas to accumulate under pressure my described apparatus may be regarded as absolutely safe and may be operated by any person of average intelligence.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In combination, in acetylene-gas apparatus, a water-chamber, a superimposed carbid-storage chamber, an inclosed passage connecting said chambers, and mechanism for releasing from said storage-chamber and for measuring and delivering into the waterchamber, a specified charge of carbid, consisting of two tapered chutes suspended in said passage with surrounding clear space 9 as set forth, and cut-off gates located at the delivery ends of said chutes; said gates consisting of'curved plates so hung that they may be swung into the space 9 when opened to permit the carbid to be discharged from said chutes, all substantially as specified.

2. In combination, in acetylene-gas apparatus, a water-chamber, a superimposed carbid-storage chamber, an inclosed passage con- I necting said chambers, and mechanism for releasing from said storage-chamber and for measuring and delivering into the waterchamber, a specified charge of carbid, consisting of two tapered chutes suspended in I said passage with surrounding clear space 9 as set forth, and cut-0E gates located at the delivery ends of said chutes; said gates consisting of curved plates adapted to be swung across the delivery ends of said chutes and so located that space approximately equal to the size of the carbid-granules is provided between the gate and the delivery end of the chute with which it cooperates, all substantially as specified.

8. In combination, in acetylene-gas apparatus, a water-chamber, a superimposed carbid-storage chamber, aninclosed passage connecting said chambers, and mechanism for releasing from said storage-chamber and for measuring and delivering into the waterchamber, a specified charge of carbid, consisting of two tapered chutes suspended in said passage with surrounding clear space 9 as set forth, and cut-oft gates located at the delivery ends of said chutes; said gates consisting of curved plates adapted to be swung across the delivery ends of said chutes and so located that space approximately equal to the size of the carbid granules is provided between the gateand the delivery end of the chute with which it cooperates; the said gates being also greater in width than the delivery ends of the chutes to prevent the undue passage of the carbid when the gate is closed, all being substantially as specified.

4:. In combination, in apparatus of the class referred to, a storage-chamber e, an inclosed passage depending therefrom, a chute sus-- pended within said passage, a trunnioned cutoff gate located at the delivery end of said chute, ahub 70 secured to one of said trunnions, means for rocking said hub, and means for locking said hub and the connected gate against rotation, all substantially as specified.

5. In combination, in apparatus of the class referred to, a storage-chamber e, an inclosed passage depending therefrom; a chute suspended within said passage, a trunnioned cutoff gate located at the delivery end of said chute, a hub 7c secured to one of said trunnions, means for rocking said hub, and means for locking said hub and the connected gate against rotation, consisting of a web with angular edges R 7c and a notched sliding bar m, all substantially as specified.

6. In combination, in acetylene-gas apparatus, an open-top chamber a, a surrounding chamber a with closed top, passages connecting the lower portions of said chambers, a chamber 1) connected with the chamber a at a point above the level of the top of chamber a, said chamber 1) having located therein a float b, a gas-generating chamber Ll connected with the said chamber a, mechanism formeasuring a given quantity of carbid and for delivering the same into said gas-generating chamber, and means intermediate the measuring mechanism and the float 1) whereby the movement of the said float by gas-pressure will start the said measuring mechanism into operation and stop the same; all being substantially asspecified.

Signed at Norwich, Connecticut, this 7th day of January, 1898.

EDWIN P. GARDNER.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, MAY F. RITCHIE. 

